Bag-tag or card-receptacle



(No Model.)

\ IL P. OUSHMAN.

Y BAG'TAG 0R GARD RBGBPTAGLE. No. 554,171; Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

UNiTEn STATES PATENT EETCE.

EDVARD P. CUSHMAN, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

BAG-TAG OR CARD-RECEPTACLE.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 554,171, dated February 4, 1896.

Application tiled June 7, 1895. Serial No. 551,968. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD P. CUsHMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn,

in the county of Essex and State of Massachuof receptaclesv known as bag-tags, which are intended to be attached to a grip, orto luggage of any sort, so that the saine may be readily identified.

The tag now in general use consists of a case or sheath usually made of two pieces of leather stitched together at their edges and one end and left open at the other end to permit the card bearing the name or address to be inserted. VOne side of the case thus constructed has a sight-opening formed therein through which the card within may be read, the face of the card being usually protected by a plate of mica or other transparent material.

The tag constructed as above described is objectionable in that the card bearing the name and address is too conspicuous, and it is with the intention of overcoming this objection that I have invented the device which I shall now describe in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, in which- Figure lis an enlarged plan view of myinvention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a modified form of my invention. Fig. 4 is a view of a second modification, and Fig. 5 is asectional view.

Referring to the drawings by letter, a a denote the two members of which the tag is formed, said members being preferably of leather and being stitched or otherwise fastened together at their sides and one end and being left open at the other forthe reception of the card or name-plate b and the mica covering-plate c. The members a a' are somewhat elongated at the open end of the case to form ears d, which are punched to provide openings through which the securing-strap c is passed.

A tongue or iiap f is secured to the member a, so as to cover the sight-opening g formed therein, said tongue f bein g preferably formed by stamping it out of the member a, as shown in the drawings. The said tongue f normally lies flat and covers the opening g in the case, so as that the name on theinclosed card is concealed; but when it is desired to read the name to identify the luggage the flap or tongue f may be raised, so as to uncover the opening g.

It is obvious that the tongue f, being struck out of the member d, will, when in its normal position, lie within the opening and flush with the surface of said member a, and therefore will not render the tag or case thick and cumbersome.

Vhen the tongue f is stamped out of the member a, as shown, I iind that there is suiT1 cient friction between the edges of the tongue f and the opening g to retain the said tongue j' in its normal position within the sight-opening g,- but in order that it may be more securely held therein I may provide the locking means shown in Fig. 3. In the construction therein shown I give the tongue f a dovetail or undercut at f instead of a straight or vertical cut, as in the form shown in Fig. l. It is apparent that by thus cutting the end of tongue f at an angle the said tongue will be locked in the opening g against accidental displacement. A slight iiexure or bending of the tag, however, will be sufficient to throw the undercut end f out of the opening g.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the tongue as provided with a snap-fastener of the ordinary type, the stud or male member 71, of the fastener being secured in the back member a of the case, while the female member 7eJ is secured in the end of the tongue f. It will be understood, of course, that in event of' using the fastener just described the stud portion h would project up through the card 0r nameplate and the transparent covering-plate, and not only serves to lock the tongue fin position, but also secures the name-plate or card b and the transparent covering-plate c against accidental displacement.

It is obvious that my invention may be applied to other articles than bag-tags and may be used wherever it is desirable to temporarily conceal a name-plate or card and I do IOO not, therefore, limit my invention to the particular use and application herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A bag-tag or card-receptacle composed of tWo members fastened together at their sides and one end, one of said members having a sight-opening formed therein, a concealing-tongue stamped from one of said members normally closing said sight-opening, and means for securing` said tongue in normal position.

`2. A bag-tag or card-receptacle having a sight-opening formed in one side thereof, a concealing-tongue normally covering said sight-opening, and means for securing said tongue in its normal position, said means for securing the card or name-plate Within the receptacle.

3. A bag-tag or card-receptacle composed of tWo members fastened together at their sides and one end, one of said members having a sight-opening formed therein, and a tongue formed integral with one of said members and normally closing the sight-opening, said tongue having an undercut end, as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

EDWARD P. CUSHMAN.

lVitnesses:

ADDIE J. HALE, G. HERBERT CUsHMAN. 

